Quail is a collective name for several genera of mid-sized birds generally considered in the order Galliformes.
Old World quail are found in the family Phasianidae, and New World quail are found in the family Odontophoridae. The buttonquail are named more for their superficial resemblance to quail, and are members of the Turnicidae family in the Charadriiformes order. The king quail, one of the Old World quail, is often sold in the pet trade; and within this trade is commonly, though mistakenly, referred to as a "button quail". Many of the common larger species are farm-raised for table food or egg consumption, and are hunted on game farms or in the wild, where they may be released to supplement the wild population, or extend into areas outside their natural range. In 2007, the US produced 40 million quail.
